West Virginia High School Wrestling

7th Annual West Virginia State Wrestling Tournament

February 26-27, 1954

Parkersburg Memorial Field House
Director -- Coach Jimmy Scott, PHS
Officials - Jim Mendenhall, Bob Mendenhall

The 1954 State Wrestling Tournament was the second tournament where the team title was decided on the last match of the evening. The Championship and Consolation Finals were held simultaneously on twin mats with Beckley having a three point lead over Parkersburg to start the evening. Both teams had all ten wrestlers battling for place points with Beckley qualifying six grapplers in the Championship and Parkersburg having four. They would have four head-to-head battles that evening, two in the championship and two in the consolation. Parkersburg would win the two championship battles but Beckley countered by winning the consolation confrontations and one with a pin. Beckley maintained their narrow lead all night yet Parkersburg pulled within two points in the next to last match of the evening when their own Bill Freise disposed of Beckley’s Fisher by a count of 9 to 8. That gave Parkersburg’s unbeaten Ed Plauche a chance to tie the team score and a pin would give the home team a win, but Fairmont’s Eugene Baker spoiled the victory party and clinched the team title for Beckley when he took the heavyweight crown 6 to 5. Baker’s victory was the only win for the Fairmont team that evening but it proved to be the biggest of the tournament.

Wrestling took two steps forward and one step backwards in 1954. Team entries diminished from seven teams to six, but the number of individual participants increased and press coverage increased as newspapers carried complete coverage and action photos of the state tournament. All six teams entered in 1954 came away with a state champion. Beckley’s Tom Slater successfully defended his championship to become a two time state winner going unbeaten in his final campaign 10-0. Romney’s Jimmie Guzzi became his schools first state champion and the state’s first known handicap state champion wrestler. Other wrestlers finishing the season undefeated were Parkersburg’s Marvin Petty 10-0 and Wheeling’s Harvey Rutter 12-0. Rutter’s son Rand Rutter would win a title in 1979 for Parkersburg.

FOLLOW THIS LINK for a photo of champs and runners-up

Team Scores

1.Beckley 40.00
2.Parkersburg 38.00
3.Wheeling* 23.00
4.University 18.00
5.Romney 17.00
6.Fairmont West 12.00

Place Winners

Weight: 103

1st: Jimmie Guzzi, Romney
2nd: William Merrifield, Fairmont West
3rd: Hall, Beckley
4th: Larry Flynn, Parkersburg

Weight: 112

1st: John Summers, Beckley
2nd: John Kronjaeger, Wheeling
3rd: Darrell Hupp, Parkersburg
4th: Maus R 4- 6- 0

Weight: 120

1st: Marvin Petty, Parkersburg
2nd: Tom McManamay, Beckley
3rd: Eye, Romney
4th: Guidi, University

Weight: 127

1st: Tom Slater*, Beckley
2nd: Joe Carpenter, Wheeling
3rd: Warren Johnson, Parkersburg
4th: Durkin, Fairmont West

Weight: 133

1st: Harvey Rutter, Wheeling
2nd: Ron Davis, Romney
3rd: Lafferty, Beckley
4th: Carroll Jones, Pakersburg

Weight: 138

1st: Norman Bates, Wheeling
2nd: Dick Powers, Beckley
3rd: Sonny Boles, Parkersburg
4th: Meredith, Fairmont West

Weight: 145

1st: Tom Adams, University
2nd: Ernie Moore, Parkersburg
3rd: Pyles, Beckley
4th: Griffin, Wheeling

Weight: 154

1st: Don Nabors, University
2nd: Bill Gurack, Beckley
3rd: J. Bates, Wheeling
4th: Bob Couch, Parkersburg

Weight: 165

1st: Bob Friese, Parkersburg
2nd: Fisher, Beckely
3rd: Rogers, Romney
4th: Hardman, University

Weight: UNL

1st: Eugene Baker, Fairmont West
2nd: Ed Plauche, Parkersburg
3rd: Simpson, University
4th: Eskins, Beckley

Finals Matches

Championship

Consolation

Wt: 103

William Merrifield-F  ---+
                       1 |William Merrifield-F  ---+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                          Dec 3-1               41 |W Merrifield-F  ---------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |                         |
                       2 |Larry Flynn-P  ----------+                         |
Larry Flynn-P  ----------+                                                   |
                                                    Dec 7-5               62 |J Guzzi-R  --------------
 Hall-B  ----------------+                                                   |
Fall 1:47              3 | Hall-B  ----------------+                         |
 Watkins-W  -------------+                         |                         |
                          Fall 2:27             42 |J Guzzi-R  --------------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                       4 |Jimmie Guzzi-R  ---------+
Jimmie Guzzi-R  ---------+

                                                    Larry Flynn-P  ----------+
                                                    Fall 3:50             61 | Hall-B  ----------------
                                                     Hall-B  ----------------+

Wt: 112

John Kronjaeger-W  ------+
                       5 |John Kronjaeger-W  ------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                          Dec 4-0               43 |J Kronjaeger-W  ---------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |                         |
                       6 |Darrell Hupp-P  ---------+                         |
Darrell Hupp-P  ---------+                                                   |
                                                    Dec                   64 |J Summers-B  ------------
John Summers-B  ---------+                                                   |
Dec 2-0                7 |John Summers-B  ---------+                         |
 Strockman-U  -----------+                         |                         |
                          Fall 4:57             44 |J Summers-B  ------------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                       8 | Maus-R  ----------------+
 Maus-R  ----------------+

                                                    D Hupp-P  ---------------+
                                                    Fall 3:10             63 |D Hupp-P  ---------------
                                                     Maus-R  ----------------+

Wt: 120

Marvin Petty-P  ---------+
                       9 |Marvin Petty-P  ---------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                          Fall :46              45 |M Petty-P  --------------+
 Guidi-U  ---------------+                         |                         |
Dec 6-5               10 | Guidi-U  ---------------+                         |
 Efthmes-W  -------------+                                                   |
                                                    Dec 6-2               66 |M Petty-P  --------------
Tom McManamay-B  --------+                                                   |
Dec 7-5               11 |Tom McManamay-B  --------+                         |
 Spencer-F  -------------+                         |                         |
                          Dec 7-4               46 |T McManamay-B  ----------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                      12 | Eye-R  -----------------+
 Eye-R  -----------------+

                                                     Guidi-U  ---------------+
                                                    Fall 1:54             65 | Eye-R  -----------------
                                                     Eye-R  -----------------+

Wt: 127

Tom Slater*-B  ----------+
                      13 |Tom Slater*-B  ----------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                          Fall 2:52             47 |Tom Slater*-B  ----------+
Warren Johnson-P  -------+                         |                         |
Dec 4:24              14 |Warren Johnson-P  -------+                         |
 Lucas-U  ---------------+                                                   |
                                                    Dec 7-1               68 |Tom Slater*-B  ----------
 Durkin-F  --------------+                                                   |
Dec 9-5               15 | Durkin-F  --------------+                         |
 Butcher-R  -------------+                         |                         |
                          Dec 5-4               48 |J Carpenter-W  ----------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                      16 |Joe Carpenter-W  --------+
Joe Carpenter-W  --------+

                                                    W Johnson-P  ------------+
                                                    Fall 4:12             67 |W Johnson-P  ------------
                                                     Durkin-F  --------------+

Wt: 133

Harvey Rutter-W  --------+
                      17 |Harvey Rutter-W  --------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                          Dec ?-0               49 |H Rutter-W  -------------+
 Lafferty-B  ------------+                         |                         |
Dec 5-1               18 | Lafferty-B  ------------+                         |
 Shannabrgr-UNK----------+                                                   |
                                                    Dec 2-0               70 |H Rutter-W  -------------
Ron Davis-R  ------------+                                                   |
                      19 |Ron Davis-R  ------------+                         |
-Bye---------------------+                         |                         |
                          Dec 5-1               50 |Ron Davis-R  ------------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                      20 |Carroll Jones-P  --------+
Carroll Jones-P  --------+

                                                     Lafferty-B  ------------+
                                                    Dec 15-9              69 | Lafferty-B  ------------
                                                    C Jones-P  --------------+

Wt: 138

Dick Powers-B  ----------+
                      21 |Dick Powers-B  ----------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                          Dec 6-2               51 |Dick Powers-B  ----------+
Sonny Boles-P  ----------+                         |                         |
Dec Ref.              22 |Sonny Boles-P  ----------+                         |
 Johnson-U  -------------+                                                   |
                                                    Dec Ref.              72 |N Bates-W  --------------
 Meredith-F  ------------+                                                   |
Dec 9-2               23 | Meredith-F  ------------+                         |
 Middkiff-R  ------------+                         |                         |
                          Dec Ref.              52 |N Bates-W  --------------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                      24 |Norman Bates-W  ---------+
Norman Bates-W  ---------+

                                                    Sonny Boles-P  ----------+
                                                    Fall 3:04             71 |Sonny Boles-P  ----------
                                                     Meredith-F  ------------+

Wt: 145

Ernie Moore-P  ----------+
                      25 |Ernie Moore-P  ----------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                          Fall 3:59             53 |Ernie Moore-P  ----------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |                         |
                      26 | Pyles-B  ---------------+                         |
 Pyles-B  ---------------+                                                   |
                                                    Dec 2-1               74 |Tom Adams-U  ------------
Tom Adams-U  ------------+                                                   |
Fall 3:21             27 |Tom Adams-U  ------------+                         |
 Smith-R  ---------------+                         |                         |
                          Fall 5:58             54 |Tom Adams-U  ------------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                      28 | Griffin-W  -------------+
 Griffin-W  -------------+

                                                     Pyles-B  ---------------+
                                                    Fall 1:12             73 | Pyles-B  ---------------
                                                     Griffin-W  -------------+

Wt: 154

J. Bates-W  -------------+
                      29 |J. Bates-W  -------------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                          Dec 4-1               55 |Don Nabors-U  -----------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |                         |
                      30 |Don Nabors-U  -----------+                         |
Don Nabors-U  -----------+                                                   |
                                                    Dec 5-2               76 |Don Nabors-U  -----------
Bill Gurack-B  ----------+                                                   |
Dec 6-0               31 |Bill Gurack-B  ----------+                         |
 Lambert-R  -------------+                         |                         |
                          Dec 2-1               56 |Bill Gurack-B  ----------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                      32 |Bob Couch-P  ------------+
Bob Couch-P  ------------+

                                                    J. Bates-W  -------------+
                                                    Dec 5-4               75 |J. Bates-W  -------------
                                                    Bob Couch-P  ------------+

Wt: 165

 Fisher-B  --------------+
                      33 | Fisher-B  --------------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                          Dec 4-0               57 | Fisher-B  --------------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |                         |
                      34 | Rogers-R  --------------+                         |
 Rogers-R  --------------+                                                   |
                                                    Dec 9-8               78 |Bob Friese-P  -----------
 Hardman-U  -------------+                                                   |
Dec 7-0               35 | Hardman-U  -------------+                         |
 Wojasek-W  -------------+                         |                         |
                          Fall 0:55             58 |Bob Friese-P  -----------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                      36 |Bob Friese-P  -----------+
Bob Friese-P  -----------+

                                                     Rogers-R  --------------+
                                                    Dec 9-7               77 | Rogers-R  --------------
                                                     Hardman-U  -------------+

Wt: UNL

Ed Plauche-P  -----------+
                      37 |Ed Plauche-P  -----------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                          Fall 3:30             59 |Ed Plauche-P  -----------+
 Saddler-W  -------------+                         |                         |
Dec 3-0               38 | Simpson-U  -------------+                         |
 Simpson-U  -------------+                                                   |
                                                    Dec 6-5               80 |E Baker-F  --------------
 Eskins-B  --------------+                                                   |
Dec 3-0               39 | Eskins-B  --------------+                         |
 McWilliams-R  ----------+                         |                         |
                          Dec 4-0               60 |E Baker-F  --------------+
-Bye---------------------+                         |
                      40 |Eugene Baker-F  ---------+
Eugene Baker-F  ---------+

                                                     Simpson-U  -------------+
                                                    Dec 5-0               79 | Simpson-U  -------------
                                                     Eskins-B  --------------+

Thanks to Brent Sams, Parkersburg WV

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